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A statement issued by the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) on Thursday, April 23, following an official visit by Algeria’s ambassador to Senegal Ridha Nebais, has sparked renewed scrutiny in African football circles after referencing a “memorable victory” on January 18.
In its statement, the FSF expressed “deep gratitude to the Algerian people for their solidarity and support, particularly during Senegal’s memorable victory” in Rabat on January 18.
However, the Senegalese Federation’s characterization of that day as a Senegalese triumph stands in direct contradiction with the competition’s official outcome.
A final settled by regulation
The Rabat final between Morocco and Senegal did take place on January 18, but it did not reach a conventional conclusion. During a decisive phase of the match, Senegalese players left the pitch in protest after the referee awarded a legitimate last-minute penalty to Morocco.
This collective walk-off proved decisive for the developments that followed weeks after the final.
Under Articles 82 and 84 of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) regulations, any team that refuses to continue a match is deemed to have forfeited. And the CAF’s Appeal Board upheld these regulations when it reviewed this controversial case almost two months after the January 18 final. The Board concluded that Senegal had forfeited the final, officially recorded the match as a 3-0 victory for Morocco, and confirmed the Atlas Lions as AFCON 2025 champions.
To date, pending the verdict of the Court of Arbitration for Sport, this decision constitutes the final and binding outcome of the tournament.
Diplomatic tone, factual ambiguity
The April 23 statement largely reflects a tone of diplomatic courtesy, emphasizing friendship, cooperation, and the strengthening of ties between Senegal and Algeria.
Yet the inclusion of a contested sporting reference introduces ambiguity into an otherwise standard exchange.
With Morocco being CAf’s recognized African champions pending the CAS verdict, contesting the CAF decision in a diplomatic letter comes across as both a desperate and misguided act of provocation. As it stands, the “memorable victory” cited by the FSF does not correspond to any officially recognized result of the AFCON 2025 final.
Whether the phrasing reflects a diplomatic formulation, a symbolic interpretation, or a simple oversight remains unclear. What is certain, however, is that the official record recognizes Morocco as the sole winner of that final in Rabat.
Whatever the FSF says next in a bid to clarify its statement, the mention of a “memorable victory” leaves a lingering contradiction between a narrative claim and a documented reality.
